From: allseabees@...
To: allseabees@...
Subject: FW: Seabee News
Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 12:13:04 -0700







U.S. Navy commander serving in Iraq with Gulf Region Division killed by IED
By Public Affairs Office, Gulf Region Division
May 27, 2009 - 6:25:52 PM

Email this article
Printer friendly page


Blackanthem Military News






U.S. Navy Commander Duane Wolfe. (Photo courtesy of Gulf Region Division)
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Department of Defense announced today that Navy Commander
Duane G. Wolfe was killed May 25 when the vehicle he was traveling in near
Fallujah was struck by an improvised explosive device. Cmdr. Wolfe was
assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Gulf Region Division in Iraq where
he served as the Officer-in-Charge of the Al-Anbar Area Office, which is part of
the division's Gulf Region Central district.

Cmdr. Wolfe was an activated Navy Reserve Officer from Los Osos, Calif. His home
Navy Reserve unit is Navy Operational Support Center, Port Hueneme, Calif. In
addition, Cmdr. Wolfe was a Department of the Air Force civilian employee,
working at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

"Commander Wolfe was an outstanding warrior, patriot, loving husband, and father
of three," said Maj. Gen. Michael Eyre, commander of the Gulf Region Division.
"Monday's attack has been a devastating loss and the entire GRD team is deeply
saddened by this tragedy. We honor Commander Wolfe's life and service to our
country and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and
colleagues. Our thoughts and prayers are also with all of those impacted by this
attack, the families of the two others killed and the two who were wounded."

As the Officer-in-Charge of the Al-Anbar Area Office, Cmdr. Wolfe was
responsible for 59 personnel including U.S. military, government civilians, and
Iraqis who work at the area office and three geographically dispersed
subordinate resident offices. His staff is responsible for overseeing nearly
$300 million in planned and ongoing construction projects, many of which are
providing essential services to the Iraqi people. Projects include the
first-ever waste water treatment facility for Fallujah, a location command for
the Iraqi Army, a judicial complex and a 132 kilovolt substation in Ramadi.

Commander Wolfe will posthumously receive the Bronze Star with "V" Device for
Valor; Purple Heart; Combat Action Ribbon; National Defense Service Medal with
Service Star; Iraqi Campaign Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" Device
for Mobilization; Overseas Service Ribbon; and the Combat Action Badge.







Hello Dear Family and Friends,

It has come to a time in my life to say goodbye to my husband and friend,
Delroy. For those that do not know, Delroy Davis passed peacefully May 18,
2009. His health had been steadily declining this last year. Because we are all
so spread out from Alaska to Japan, this seems to be the only timely method I
have of passing this sad news along.
Each of you touched Delroy's (Dave or Del) life and have great memories from
those times. It would be a great comfort to all of us if you would share some of
those memories or at least sign the guest book. A link is attached to the
obituary sites listed below.
Delroy as I'm sure you know would only want us to remember the great times we
each had with him. Those memories for me and our family will keep him alive
forever in our hearts and souls. My prayer is that those memories will do the
same for you. How could they not.
Please pass this e mail on to any I may have forgotten.
The Salt Lake Tribune and Ventura County Star will both run Delroy's obituary
Thursday, May 28, 2009. The guest book links are attached to the sites.
www.sltrib.com Salt Lake Tribune
www.venturacountystar.com Ventura County Star

Love and warmest regards to you all,
Lynda Davis













Seabees to be Featured on DIY Network
Story Number: NNS090519-33
Release Date: 5/19/2009 7:20:00 PM


By Rob Mims and Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Hulle Naval
Construction Battalion Center Public Affairs

GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport,
Miss., welcomed New York-based Leopard Films for a 10-day adventure into the
world of Seabees to be aired fall 2009.

Leopard Films was contracted by the Do It Yourself Network to film a one-hour
show, "Combat Construction. Seabees – They Build, They Fight."

"We do a show called 'Man Caves' for the DIY network," said Julian Locke, one of
the show's producers. "We were in Kuwait doing a man cave, or a troop cave,
basically transforming a USO for the troops at Camp Virginia, and we met the
Seabees from NMCB (Naval Mobile Construction Battalion) 74, and basically they
dug us out of a hole."

"We could have never completed the project without them," Locke said. "We were
so impressed with the way they worked; we figured they were a show upon
themselves."

"It was a little weird to have the film crew here at first," said Builder 2nd
Class Joseph Biccum, "but after a few days the television crew was able to earn
the Seabees' trust. They weren't afraid to get dirty," said Biccum. "It was
almost like they were a part of the Seabees while they were out here."

While filming, the crew witnessed Seabees from NMCB 74 construct a bridge,
Southwest Asia hut, timber bunker and restroom facility all while defending
themselves against a simulated enemy attack.

"Being around tools is what I do for a living," said Josh Temple, the host of
the special. However, when construction had to stop for simulated mortar
attacks, gas attacks and other training scenarios, he described the experience
"like walking on the moon."

The film crew also found the lack of power tools unique. When Seabees are in
another country on a humanitarian mission or supporting combat operations,
sometimes electricity isn't available - so Seabees have to know how to build
things manually.

Temple explained he did quite a bit of research on the history of the Seabees
before coming out to the field and knew what they were capable of but was still
in awe when the team constructed a 30-foot timber tower with exact precision.

The film crew departed Camp Shelby for NCBC to learn where the Seabees acquire
the skills used in the field.

They spent one day with instructors at the Naval Construction Training Center
(NCTC) on board NCBC. NCTC teaches not only basic construction skills to Navy
personnel who are training to become Seabees but also Army and Air Force troops
who are in construction fields. They teach more than 10,000 students a year.

Temple experienced some of the many advanced courses also taught at the school.
He watched as instructors provided one-on-one and group instruction and then
tried his hand at welding, operated a bulldozer, excavator, front-end loader and
Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) or 7-ton, six-wheel drive all-terrain
vehicle.

The last task for the film crew was to find out how Seabees learn the skills
needed to survive in combat. Their first stop was the 20SRG Tactical Training
Facility Combat Convoy Simulator to experience the virtual world of driving a
Humvee and an MTVR in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The six bay simulator, complete with vehicle has a 360 degree view and could be
compared to any first-person shooter video game. It is designed to teach Seabees
how to operate effectively during convoy operations.

The film crew wrapped up their adventures with a visit to the Expeditionary
Combat Skills course. Although they could have experienced courses in basic
expeditionary first aid, land navigation, counter-IED recognition, time only
permitted them to watch judgment-based engagement training and pistol combat
shooting and marksmanship.

Temple said the course brought the realization of the seriousness of the
training.

"We are all really hard on ourselves; we want to get it right to show what you
guys do out here," he said.

"The more I read [about the Seabees] the more respect I had, and honestly, it's
a great thing to be doing this [filming] because I know there are people out
there that don't know that Seabees exist," said Temple.

Locke said he doesn't want this to be the last time with the Seabees. He is
hoping the network will ask for an additional six episodes.

For more news from Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, visit
www.navy.mil/local/ncbcgulfport/.

E-mail this story to a friend | Send a comment about this story

















[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]